Causes

Metabolic syndrome is becoming very common in the United States. Doctors are not sure whether the syndrome is due to one single cause. But many of the risks for the syndrome are related to obesity.

The two most important risk factors for metabolic syndrome are:

Extra weight around the middle and upper parts of the body (central obesity). This body type may be described as "apple-shaped."

Insulin resistance. Insulin is a hormone produced in the pancreas. Insulin is needed to help control the amount of sugar in the blood. Insulin resistance means that some cells in the body use insulin less effectively than normal. As a result, blood sugar level rises, which causes insulin to rise. This may increase the amount of body fat.

Other risk factors include:

Aging

Genes that make you more likely to develop this condition

Changes in male, female, and stress hormones

Lack of exercise

People who have metabolic syndrome often have one or more other factors that may be linked with the condition, including:

Increased risk for blood clotting

Increased levels of blood substances that are a sign of inflammation throughout the body

Small amounts of a protein called albumin in the urine

Exams and Tests

Metabolic syndrome is present if you have three or more of the following signs:

Blood pressure equal to or higher than 130/85 mm Hg

Fasting blood sugar (glucose) equal to or higher than 100 mg/dL

Large waist circumference (length around the waist): For men, 40 inches (100 centimeters) or more; for women, 35 inches (90 centimeters) or more

Low HDL (good) cholesterol: For men, less than 40 mg/dL; for women, less than 50 mg/dL

Triglycerides equal to or higher than 150 mg/dL

Treatment

The goal of treatment is to reduce your risk for heart disease, stroke, and diabetes.

Raynor HA, Champagne CM. Position of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics: interventions for the treatment of overweight and obesity in adults. J Acad Nutr Diet. 2016;116(1):129-147. PMID: 26718656. www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/26718656.